No. 4 Stanford women top No. 9 Arizona, wrap up Pac-12 title
STANFORD, Calif. – Kiana Williams scored 15 points and No. 4 Stanford clinched its first regular-season Pac-12 Conference crown in seven years, beating ninth-ranked Arizona 62-48 on Monday night.
Lexie Hull added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Cardinal (21-2, 18-2 Pac-12), who won their 10th straight game to capture the program’s first league title since 2014. Oregon won the past three.
Arizona star Aari McDonald scored 20 points despite a slow start and missing all six of her 3-point tries. She began 1 for 8, was 2 of 11 at halftime as her team trailed 31-25, and finished 8 of 24.
The Wildcats (15-3, 13-3) went more than four minutes without scoring late in the first half, missing five straight field goals during one stretch and 10 of 11 as they finished the half shooting 29% (8 for 28).
Arizona’s second seven-game winning streak of the season ended just like the first one, with a loss to Stanford. The Wildcats were 7-0 before they were routed at home by the Cardinal on Jan. 1.
Haley Jones had 13 points, eight rebounds and two steals for Stanford but also committed seven of her team’s 16 turnovers.
Stanford began 5 for 14 to 4 of 13 by Arizona as the teams were tied at 13 after one quarter. Only six free throws were shot in the first half, the Wildcats going 4 for 4 and Stanford 0 for 2.
BIG PICTURE
Arizona: The Wildcats surrendered 24 points in the paint to Stanford . ... Arizona had won five of its last eight against Top-10 opponents and six of nine against Top-25 competition. ... McDonald has scored in double figures in 84 consecutive games, longest active streak in the country . ... The Wildcats suffered just their 10th defeat in the last 55 games.
Stanford: Freshman F Cameron Brink fouled out
with 2:16 left, contributing 10 points and seven rebounds . ... Stanford has not lost at home to the Wildcats since a 68-65 defeat on Jan. 6, 2001 . ... The Cardinal
are 5-1 against ranked opponents this season . ... Stanford secured the No. 1 seed and a bye in the Pac12 Tournament . ... The Cardinal shot 57.9% against
Arizona State on Friday – their highest percentage of the season – then followed that up by shooting 36% on Monday.
UP NEXT
Arizona: Closes out the regular season at rival Arizona State on Sunday.
Stanford: Hosts California on Sunday to conclude the regular-season slate.